Domestic appliance

ABSTRACT

A device for facilitating the removal of bottle caps and screwtype lids or the like. The device is characterized by the provision of a displaceable striker member which serves to indent the cap or lid upon impacting thereof, thereby releasing such forces which result from the manner in which the closures are installed.

United States Patent 156] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,599,l77 6/1952 Holroyd Primary Examiner0thell M. Simpson Attorneys-F. H. Henson, Ralph T. French and B. B. Sklar, .lr.

ABSTRACT: A device for facilitating the removal of bottle caps and screw-type lids or the like. The device is characterized by the provision of a displaceable striker member which serves to indent the cap or lid upon impacting thereof, thereby releasing such forces which result from the manner in which the closures are installed.

PATENTH] JUN29 I9?! F I G. 3

WITNESSES mew 97/ W FIG.4

INVENTOR Robert A.Wise

I f /3&1 J

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to domestic applicances, and more particularly, to devices for aiding in the removal of closures such asjar lids or the like.

A perplexing problem which confronts the housewife, quite frequently, is that of removing closures such as bottle caps and jar lids, primarily of the screw type. Such well known aids, as tapping the lid or cap either, on a counter top or with a blunt instrument like a knife, work well, but since this constitutes the use of uncontrolled forces, it sometimes results in cracked glass getting into the contents of the container being opened.

The problems attendant the above-mentioned modes of removing enclosure members have been overcome in prior art devices of the type which, in lieu of an uncontrolled impact force, utilize a gripping or wedging action created by lid or cap receiving constructions. These devices fall short of total success because of limited capacities (i.e. all lid sizes are not accommodated) and because some force by the user is still required, which force, it will be appreciated, is too great for quite a number of women and even for some men.

Accordingly, the general object of this invention is to pro vide a new and improved device for facilitating removal of closure members associated with foodstuffs.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a new and improved device for facilitating the removal of jar lids or the like, which device utilizes a controlled force.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved device, for facilitating removal of jar lids or the like, wherein the size of the lid is not restricted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-cited objects are accomplished by providing, in combination, in a single housing structure, structure in the form of a somewhat conventional electrically operated can opener and a striker member which is capable of indenting bottle caps and jar lids for facilitating the removal thereof. The striker is rendered operable by the provision of a lost motion mechanism which allows a cantilever spring, to which the striker is mounted, to be displaced from a rest position to a position where the spring is released allowing it to rapidly travel back towards its rest position. A closure locating element, in the form of a flange carried by the housing structure, adjacent an opening in a wall thereof, serves to align the closure in the proper position to be hit by the striker member. A lever which forms part of the lost motion mechanism extends through a wall of the housing structure adjacent the wall which carries the locating member.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considered in view of the following description and drawings forming a part hereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a combination can opener andjar lid remover representing the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a support panel and drive mechanism for the can opener portion of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bottle cap and jar lid remover forming a part of the device shown in FIG. I; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line lV-IV of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, especially FIG. 1, reference character designates generally a power operated can opener comprising a casing or housing structure 11. Supported on a top wall 12 of the casing is a switch actuating member 13 in the form of a slide bar adapted to be moved transversely of the casing 11.

The slide bar 13 serves to open or close a conventional switch (not shown) for making and breaking a circuit (not shown) to a shaded pole induction motor 14, receiving current from a household power source by means of a power cord, also not shown.

The motor 14 is mounted by suitable means, omitted for sake of clarity, on a support panel I6 disposed within the easing 1]. A motor output shaft 17 is supported by suitable bearings 18, only one being shown, which are carried by hearing retainers I8 secured to the core of the induction motor 14 by fasteners 21.

Keyed to the end of the shaft 17 is a worm in the form of a spiralhoop gear 22 comprising a generally cylindrical body portion 23 and a spiral-shaped tooth 24 provided on one of a pair of parallel flat faces 26 of the body portion 23. The tooth 24 meshes with a worm gear 27 and has overlapping portions (not shown) spaced apart a distance equal to the width of one of the teeth of the gear 27 so that one revolution of the gear 22 produces movement of one tooth of the gear 27.

The gear 27 is supported on one end of a shaft 31 while a feed wheel 32 is carried by the other end thereof and supported in front of a wall 33 of the casing 11. Supported above the feed wheel in overlapping relationship is a cutter 34 which cooperates with the feed wheel 32 to effect removal of the lid of a can.

Mounted on the front wall 33 is a magnetic lid holding mechanism 36. The mechanism 36 retains the lid after it is severed from the can to prevent it from dropping into the food contained in the can.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein there is shown structure indicated at 40 for facilitating the removal of bottle caps or jar lids, particularly of the screw-type, the structure comprises a striker member 41 having a knifelike edge 42. The striker member 41 is attached to one end of a spring element 43 which is attached at its other end to a combination spring support and pivot 44. A lever arm 45 having a bifurcated lower end 46 and an offset segment 47 at its upper end, carries a catch member 48 which engages the free end of the spring element 43.

The bifurcated end of the lever arm 45 is pivotally supported by the combination spring support and pivot 44 as indicated at 49. The catch member 48 and spring element 43 form a lost motion mechanism which allows rapid return of the striker member 41 to its extreme right position (see FIG. 3) after having been displaced to its extreme left position (shown in dotted lines) where the catch member 48 releases the spring element 43. The offset segment extends through a slot 51 in the top wall 12 and has a knob 52 provided thereon.

The combination spring support and pivot 44 is secured, in any suitable manner, such as by welding, to a channel-shaped (see FIG. 4) mounting bracket 53 which is fastened by screws 54 to a sidewall 56 of the housing structure II. The bracket has a flange 57 extending through an aperture 58 in the sidewall 56. The flange 57 acts as a lid or closure positioning means for properly aligning the lid or closure with the path of travel of the striker member 41. A bias spring structure 59 having offset portions 60 inserted in apertures 61 in the support 44, serves to return the lever arm 45 to its rest position. A dampening structure 62, supported by the casing structure 11, comprises a resilient wheel 63 carried by an arm 64.

Since numerous changes may be made in the abovedescribed apparatus and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A device for facilitating the removal of lids from jars and the like by delivering a sudden sharp impulse to said lid comprising:

a housing having at least one wall defining an aperture;

indexing means adjacent said aperture for properly positioning said lid with respect to said aperture;

a striker lmearis for striking a lid;

spring means mounting said striker member within said housing for movement between a first and second position whereby said striker member is adjacent said aperture when in said first. position;

means for moving said spring means from said first position to said second position, said moving means including a catch means for releasing said spring means upon said spring means reaching said second position and reengaging said spring means in said first position;

whereby said spring means is stressed in said second posi tion and when released rapidly moves said striker member to said first position to deliver a sudden controlled impulse to said lid.

2. A device for facilitating the removal of lids as in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said spring means includes a lever pivotally mounted within said housing for movement between a forward spring engaging position and a rearward spring releasing position and a spring member for normally maintaining said lever is said forward position.

3. A device according to claim 2 further including dampening means for absorbing the shock of the forward movement of said lever is manually released for return by said spring means.

4. A device according to claim 2 wherein said housing also houses motbr means and supports appropriate structure for opening cans.

5. A device according to claim 2 wherein said spring means mounting said striker member comprises a leaf spring mounted at one end to said housing, the other end of which supports said striker member. 

1. A device for facilitating the removal of lids from jars and the like by delivering a sudden sharp impulse to said lid comprising: a housing having at least one wall defining an aperture; indexing means adjacent said aperture for properly positioning said lid with respect to said aperture; a striker means for striking a lid; spring means mounting said striker member within said housing for movement between a first and second position whereby said striker member is adjacent said aperture when in said first position; means for moving said spring means from said first position to said second position, said moving means including a catch means for releasing said spring means upon said spring means reaching said second position and reengaging said spring means in said first position; whereby said spring means is stressed in said second position and when released rapidly moves said striker member to said first position to deliver a sudden controlled impulse to said lid.
 2. A device for facilitating the removal of lids as in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said spring means includes a lever pivotally mounted within said housing for movement between a forward spring engaging position and a rearward spring releasing position and a spring member for normally maintaining said lever is said forward position.
 3. A device according to claim 2 further including dampening means for absorbing the shock of the forward movement of said lever is manually released for return by said spring means.
 4. A device according to claim 2 wherein said housing also houses motor means and supports appropriate structure for opening cans.
 5. A device according to claim 2 wherein said spring means mounting said striker member comprises a leaf spring mounted at one end to said housing, the other end of which supports said striker member. 